Anna
by SymphonicInsanity
Summary: A two shot. Magical Girl AU. Petunia discovers what happens when your soul gem fades to black...


_I guess… I tried too hard._

I guess I wasn't good enough.

There's nothing left for me now.

"PETUNIA!"

She didn't dare look up as she heard the familiar steps of Todd Allison dash towards her and took a seat next to her on the steps of the Parliament House.

"Why are you here?" He demanded, bewildered why she had disappeared and not said a word to him for the past few days. She shrugged, not looking up at him.

_I thought he would be here. But I was wrong_.

Todd furrowed his brow.

"Petunia… is everything alright? You don't… sound like yourself…"

She laughed.

_I'm not myself. I've never been myself. I've never HAD myself! Always worrying about others, ALWAYS wanting to take care of them…._

She shook her head.

_Unsuccesful. I've saved no one. I've done nothing but make lives worse_.

Todd blinked, stunned by her words.

"Petunia… that's not true-"

She jerked her head to face him, though did not look him in the eye.

_Not true? I tried to hard, Todd, too hard. I wanted to save my brother… I couldn't. I wanted to help Cyril… he rejected me. I wanted to save you… YOU.._.

Petunia burst with laughter, startling Todd.

_Of all people, I wanted to pull you out of your misery. I thought I was helping you. I pulled you out of that Witch's labyrinth. I healed the kiss that witch gave you. And yet… through all this… I've done nothing but make things worse for you_

Petunia giggled. Todd raised an eyebrow. Labyrinths…?

_I'm a liar. I let my brother pull you in the labyrinth. He was going to let you die in there. I'm a hypocrite. I wished to save my brother, yet I openly defied him to save you. I can't do a single thing right…_

Reaching into the pocket of her sweater, she pulled out a pulsing, black soul gem, much to the astonishment of Todd.

As tears began to stream down the cheek she knew as souless, she laughed.

_Guess I should have wished just not to live_.

Everything moved in a blur as the soul gem cracked, releasing it's misery into the world and morphing into a grief seed. Blown back by the impact, Todd crashed against the pavement.

"Petunia?!" He cried as he saw her body slump to the floor. He rushed up to her lifeless body, taking it in his arms and trying to comprehend everything that was happening.

Todd watched as the Parliament House rippled away before his very eyes. The deep blue and starry sky turned to an ashy black. The pavement fell from his feet and turned into a black nothingness. The house itself faded from view, replacing itself with space… and abnormally large flowers.

Absolutely bewildered, Todd spun around with Petunia in his arms, searching for an exit.

"What… what is this?"

"A witch's labyrinth, Todd Allison."

Todd turned around to see none other than Jacqueline Webster and Hana Ikimoto. Something about them seemed… different. They were wearing some of the most extravagant costumes he had ever seen, in purple and red, respectively. One thing amongst others stood out to him… gems, glowing brilliantly from their bodies. Jacqueline's from her neck, and Hana's from her wrist. Noticing the body Todd carried in his arms, Hana rushed towards him.

"W-What… What happened?!" She demanded, clearly concerned for her best friend. Todd couldn't answer her. He couldn't find a single way to put what he had witnessed into words.

"I… I don't know." He told her. Hana looked to Jacqueline for guidance, who clearly had ideas on where they had landed.

"Hana… Could it be…"

Hana felt her face turn white. She shook her head.

"No… no… NO! It CAN'T be! T-This… can't be her…" Hana defended, not wanting to believe she had lost her best friend. Jacqueline took her hand.

"…Hana… It's her." Jacqueline said softly. Tears began to fill Hana's eyes, confusing Todd.

"Who is 'her'?" He asked Jacqueline, wanting an explanation from the girl. Jacqueline sighed.

"We are currently standing in the soul of Petunia Elkwood. She has fallen into such despair, her soul could no longer be containted, and her grief burst into a witch's labyrinth."

Todd blinked, absolutely confused and skeptical of his friend's words.

"What?"

"Look, I'll explain later. The objective of the moment is to escape the labryinth. Hang on to me."

Gingerly, Todd and Hana grabbed onto Jacqueline's arms, the body of Petunia tight in his grip. His eyes widened as he watched his old friend pull a violet umbrella out of thin air, and open it above their heads. Holding back his questions and thoughts swimming through his head, he remained hushed as Jacqueline slowly rose the group in the air. Eventually, the black surroudings of the labyrinth faded away, and Todd found himself in an alleyway, a few feet away from what he knew as the Parliament House.

Remembering he still had Petunia in his arms, Todd gently laid Petunia down on the ground, kneeling beside her. Jacqueline crouched down as well, brushing the hair out of the girls face and placing the back of her slender, cool fingers to Petunia's neck. After a moment, she shook her head, causing the observing Hana to burst into tears. Todd could no longer hold back his inquiry.

"Jacqueline… what on Earth is happening?" He asked her softly. Jacqueline sighed.

"Well… Petunia has become a witch." Jacqueline stated plainly, not expecting Todd to understand. He blinked.

"A Witch?! Jacqueline, you've got to be kidding. Magic isn't r-"

"It is."

Todd turned his attention to Hana, whose cheeks were stained from tears. She looked at Todd Allison with pure hate, much different from the glares she had given him when he thought her as nothing more than a annoying coworker at the Café. This glare had substance, unlike her others.

"How daft can you possibly be? Petunia… she wanted to protect everyone! She wanted nothing more than to make everyone happy! I know she wanted you to be happy especially, and I'm sure you do too! Why the hell else do you think she would risk her life to save you from the labriynth? You IDIOT! This is your fault!" She screamed, lunging for Todd but being held back by Jacqueline, who seemed to have her eyes fixated on Hana's ruby red gem, which grew dimmer by the second. Jacqueline spoke.

"Hana, stop it, you're hurting yourself. You're blinded by grief. Todd Allison is not to blame for her death."

At the harsh tone of Jacqueline, Hana cowered aside, hugging her knees tightly to her chest and sobbing.

Todd paled at Jacqueline's last word. He repeated it, the word like a whisper.

"Death?"

Jacqueline looked at Todd with pained eyes. She bowed her head.

"I'm sorry." She consoled softly, and watched the boy's face fall. Todd anatomized the girl in front of him, waiting for her to open her eyes, ready for Jacqueline to laugh and say it was all a joke, ready for Hana to call him an idiot for falling for it.

"No… No… she can't be gone!" He whispered shakily, looking for some sign of life in the girl. He shook her gently. "Petunia!"

No answer.

He shook her again.

"Petunia!"

Still, no response. Todd began to have an enormous struggle to breathe. He felt his hands go cold and his heart beat fast as he shook her once more. Jacqueline noticed the peril Todd was experiencing.

"Todd… she won't wake." She told him. Todd looked Jacqueline in the eyes, and in an instant… he knew it was the truth.

Nothing came to him. He stood there, blinded with shock. No tears. No denial. Absolutely nothing. His throat felt dry, and his heart felt cold. Blankly, Todd managed to force out words in a hushed tone.

"Why?"

Jacqueline sighed. It was time she explained everything.

"It's going to be hard to believe…"

Todd gave a small chuckle, void of any humor or joy.

"At this point, I'll believe anything."

She reached to her neck to mold the shimmering piece of jewelry into it's natural form: a soft colored, egg like crystal of purple. She held it out in front of Todd's eyes, which slowly wavered from the lifeless body of Petunia to the glowing ornament.

"This is a soul gem. It's exactly what it sounds. A gem which carries our souls. We get these in exchange for becoming a magical girl, and being granted a wish."

Jacqueline let her eyes trail back to the wailing Hana, emitting painful sobs of grief and despair.

"Of course, we never knew going into this that it would extract our soul from our body. No, we merely thought we could receive something incredible for fighting witches… creatures of despair… like the one that hatched back there."

Jacqueline shook her head.

"And never… in my wildest fucking dreams… would I have ever guessed that we, the hunters… one day become hunted. That we will soon be devoured by misery as well."

Todd swallowed, trying to take in everything.

"Y-You mean… you've seen this happen before?"

Jacqueline nodded.

"Twice. Once… with a friend…"

She notioned towards Hana.

"And… her sister… met the same fate."

Overhearing the conversation, Hana reentered with laughter.

"She's gone… She's really gone… Am I meant to be alone…?"

Jacqueline walked towards the girl cautiously, her hand extended.

"Hana-"

"SHUT UP! D-Don't get ANY CLOSER! You're A MONSTER! Like me, like Petunia, like EVERYONE!" Hana shrieked, and Jacqueline obeyed her orders. To the surprise of both, she began giggling.

"Hehehehe…. I should've known… It always ends this way… The day Saki saved me from that witch… I should've wished to keep her safe… forever…"

Her giggles erupted into dry laughter.

"But I didn't. I wished to be loved! Just as esteemed as my older sister. She could be special… well… well SO COULD I!"

"…But… I never thought… she would… be… a witch… and naïvely… I thought… Petunia… was happy…"

Hana had an unrecognizable glare in her eye, directed right at Todd Allison.

"You… you've caused her to suffer. I remember… when she saved you from that labrynth! You probably don't even know she did, do you? …That's right. She found you… knocked out… in the field of a maze… and she saved YOU! Your life! And all you do in return is allow her to suffer… care for no one but yourself…"

She grinned maliciously.

"Hehehe…. like me."

Jacqueline watched as Hana staggered over towards Todd, and called out in fear.

"HANA! What're you-"

"A magical girl must make sure no one suffers…" Hana giggled, a red gleam surrounding her and increasing by the moment. Todd inched away, Petunia in his hands.

"Hana…" Saying her name, for once, in a sympathetic demeanor. "Please…"

His begging only made the girl cackle harder. The earth around him began to shake. The heat became intense as he watched Hana raise a fiery arrow, pointed towards his heart.

"Goodnight… Todd Allison…"

"NO!"

Todd had no time to do anything but close his eyes and prepare for the worst. But the pain never came.

A loud gasp was heard. He opened his eyes to see equally wide eyed girls, Jacqueline's sword slowly covered with blood. Hana's blood.

The girl collapsed to the floor, her eyes void of color and her hand maimed by the sword. Todd resisted the urge to scream from disgust.

"You… You KILLED HER!" He gasped, unable to catch his breath. It seemed Jacqueline was in the same state.

"I… I…. I HAD to!" She yelled defensively, her chest rising and falling and her heart beating profusedly.

"I had to…"

Jacqueline dropped her sword, holding her hand to her eyes when she felt them fill with tears. No. She would not cry. Not in front of the boy she was supposed to take care of. Not here. Not now…

Attempting to calm herself, Jacqueline took long, heavy breaths, trying to soothe the terror with each breath.

Two deaths in one night.

One by her.

_How would she ever get past this?_

She looked at Todd, who still cradled the sleeping Petunia in his arms, looking at her ruefully.

_How would he ever get past this?_

Noticing her gaze, Todd's eyes became full of something. Sincerity?

"Jacqueline… is there any way to get Petunia back?" He asked bravely.

Jacqueline felt her stomach turn. She knew the answer.

"Todd… I… I don't know…" She mumbled. His look sharpened.

"Then… then…"

He sighed.

"I want to find a way. I want to save her. If you don't know… maybe there's a way…"

Jacqueline hesistated. He looked so determined. And she was only going to bring him back down.

"Todd… I…"

"Please, Jacqueline." He persisted.

"I… I let Petunia die. At least let me try. Hana was right… I've thought of no one but myself."

"…At least let me make this up to her."

The hints were all there. She should have said no. She should have grabbed him by the shoulders and insisted she was gone. It was a death sentence. An execution. Yet what did she say?

"…Alright."


End file.
